I have been working as a Configuration Technician for the past five years, and I am looking to advance my career. I have looked at ITIL certification, as I am noticing more employers are asking for it, as a way to limit the number resumes they get. I took a look at a few places that offer training and I find the costs quite prohibitive - $2500 CDN. My company is not willing to send me out. Anyone have any suggestions for training at home, or other more reasonably priced options?

ITIL is used to imlpement the best pratices of service management. And it ultimately depends on the kind of exposure you have to this area.

Since you already have been working as a config tech... It would be easy for you to understand the working / the functionality / the way people work in this field. And if you have any budget issues then the best solution that I can give is to buy a really good book... "planning to imlpement ITSM" is really nice - from my perspective, to start off. And then you can read or go through the ITIL Community forums .

Also, if you can lay hand on the questionnaires of the previous ITIL exams then nothing like it.

Read a lot, Understand, practice and if you have even the smallest of doubt please ASK and clear it out.

Hope this helps.

Cheers
winz_________________"Look at Frustration as a positive thing. It is the frustration that drives you to improve"

I have a pdf that is useful if you are planning to go for the foundation, just let me know your email address and I'll gladely pass it over. Looking at your current type of job, it will not be difficult for you to pass the Foundation.

As for the Service Manager, I will also suggest using the official books from OGC. I didn't sit for my Service Manager exam yet, I will do it early November, so I cannot say anything about the complexity of thre exam and the studying requirements to pass it.

Though I would argue that there is a lot of value in participating in classes leading to your Foundation certification, I understand that the cost can be prohibitive to take on your own. The good thing is: you can take the exam without classes for Foundations. It is not the case for the other levels though.

For me, access to past exam is what does it. Being able to understand the way exams are conducted is half the battle really.

Here is what I would do:

1) Get and study out of the "Introduction to ITIL" book. There is one mistake in the book related to the different Service Desk types, but that's easily corrected.

Here is a link to get that book:
amazon.com/dp/0113309732?tag=galistudio-20&camp=15309&creative=331469&linkCode=st1&creativeASIN=0113309732&adid=0EX60XPJYCY5BFVZR1NP&
(I hope you don't mind me using my Amazon afiliate code)

2) There is an EXIN Exam book available here:
shop.exin.nl/Products/book.asp?BookID=32005012

I don't know what it is worth but it's only 8 Euros._________________BR,
Fabien Papleux

Hi All-
I have kind of the same situation, working 8 years as SCM/CM/RM.
Recently I noticed number of good CM/SCM opportunities which require ITIL certification.
Would you recommend taking a course or just a book and try to pass foundation exam?
Thanks!